what to watch in the arts this week - nov 15-21

Secundaria – Cuban National Ballet School
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​Secundaria is a world class documentary by Mary Jane Doherty which quietly follows one high school class on its journey through Cuba's world-famous National Ballet School. The teens love to dance, but for many of them dance is also their sole escape from a life of poverty. The film is as much about life in Cuba as about the ballet. There is much untranslated Spanish but it’s usually obvious what is being said.

The documentary begins as an observational portrait, following three highly talented students, but in their third year of school the main character, Mayara, takes charge of her destiny in an astonishing way. Suddenly this simple portrait takes a dramatic turn as Mayara's action surprises everyone: teachers, friends, family and, ultimately, the filmmaker herself.

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Durer’s Journeys – National Gallery
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​The first major UK exhibition of German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer in nearly 20 years is about to open at London’s National Gallery. Through paintings, drawings, prints, and letters, this exhibition follows Dürer’s travels across Europe, bringing to life the artist himself, and the people and places he visited. I found this Q&A with Susan Foister, the curator of the exhibition, fascinating.

Of course, having heard what she has to say, the next step would be to visit the exhibition itself, and this Q&A is a good incentive to get ourselves to Trafalgar Square. Of course, though, if you're in Singapore, that's not very practical advice.

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Rockets and Blue Lights – National Theatre
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​The National has just added this new play by Winsome Pinnock to their online repertoire. It’s a co-production with the Manchester Royal Exchange and is directed, brilliantly, by Miranda Cromwell. This is a play of massive ambition which seeks to tell many stories about slavery, about art, and about the nature of history itself.

On the set of a new film about Victorian artist JMW Turner, young actress Lou (Kiza Deen) is haunted by an unresolved history. Meanwhile, in 1840, Londoners Lucy and Thomas try to come to terms with the meaning of freedom.

Moving between London past and present, this is a powerful personal voyage through time.

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Putting It Together – Sondheim Review
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Putting It Together – Sondheim Review

​This is a musical revue showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim. Drawing its title from a song in Sunday in the Park with George, it was devised by Sondheim and Julia McKenzie. There have been a number of productions, beginning with its premiere in England in 1992, Broadway in 1999 and the West End in 2014.
This is the Broadway production which originated at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles and transferred to Broadway the following year, opening in November 1999 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, where it ran for 123 performances, including previews.

This is the Broadway production, directed by Eric D. Schaeffer and choreographed by Bob Avian. The video was directed by Don Roy King.
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The Broadway cast stars Carol Burnett, George Hearn,  Ruthie Henshall, John Barrowman, and Bronson Pinchot The production marked the return of Burnett to the Broadway stage for the first time since her success in Moon Over Buffalo in 1995. Hearn was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

While the rest of the cast are strong, of course, the reason to watch this show is the great Carol Burnett who finds her own route through each of her songs and tells us a story with each one. Unless, of course, you’re not a Sondheim fan in which case there’s no hope for you.

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Soledad -  Acosta Danza.
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​I seem to be big on Cuban ballet this week but that's just a coincidence. This one is too good to leave out. Soledad (Loneliness) is a duo full of sensuality and emotion that explores the wild and tender aspects of a relationship.

The music for this beautiful 17-minute duet, danced by Laura Rodríguez and Javier Aguilera, is a stunning selection of Spanish and Argentinian compositions, familiar and lesser known, by Astor Piazzolla, Agustín Lara from the Latin American Popular Songbook from songs to concert solos. Gidon Kremer is the solo violinist, Chavela Vargas the singer.

​The choreographer, Rafael Bonachela took the Critics Award at the first international Biennale Danza Italia competition for independent choreographers, in Italy, 2006 with this work.

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Kathrine Windfeld/Itamar Borochov - ​Ronnie Scott’s

Click here for tickets for Kathrine Windfeld
Click here for tickets for Itamar Borochov

The EFG London Jazz Festival is in full swing with some amazing artists from all over the world performing live all over the city. From Ronnie Scott’s, this evening, Monday, are two terrific livestreamed concerts and they’re free to watch on Ronnie Scott’s YouTube and Facebook pages.  At 6.30pm, the Kathrine Windfeld Sextet and, at 9.15, the Itamar Borochov Quartet. World class jazz.

From Denmark, Kathrine Windfeld's career has been gathering momentum and she has a fantastic band of young Scandinavian and Polish musicians effortlessly combine playful precision with enthusiastic power.
Trumpeter and composer Itamar Borochov is a fascinating hybrid. Raised in Israel, he brings the music of his Sephardic culture into his jazz compositions and combines it with his knowledge of various musical disciplines and influences. These are organically included into his original jazz writing, building a bridge between the near-East and the modal styles of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and others. 

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Inner World - Wigmore Hall
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On Wednesday evening, the soprano Marlis Petersen, with pianist Stephan Matthias Lademann, is giving a gorgeous programme of songs that she is calling Inner World. A cursory glance at the programme, provided by Wigmore Hall online and very informative, gives the theme of the evening. The programme notes also helpfully include the song lyrics, in the original and in translation. It includes Seele’s Nacht und Träume, Richard Strauss Die Nacht, Johannes Brahms Nachtwandler, Hugo Wolf Die Nacht, Mahler, Liszt, Brahms, Faure, and many more.
Well, you get the idea.
 
This is one of a series of four recitals, this one examining our inner world of dreams and visions. She has grouped the songs under headings – In English the groups are: Night and Dreams (German), Inner Movement (German), Interior Movement (French), Redemption and Homecoming (German). It’s a demanding programme, not for the newcomer, but full of wonderful vocal lollypops which Marlis Petersen is more than capable of delivering.
 
Marlis Petersen is a German opera singer, best known for her searing interpretation of the title role in Lulu at opera houses throughout the world. She is increasingly well known as a singer of lieder.

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